The Punjab government has enacted a blanket prohibition on child marriage and introduced a new ordinance in the Punjab Assembly.
Under the proposed law, marrying anyone under eighteen will be a criminal offence. A Nikah registrar who records an underage marriage could face one year in prison and a fine of Rs100,000.
The Child Marriage Restraint Ordinance states that an adult who marries an underage girl will receive at least two years’ imprisonment. Any adult involved in arranging such a marriage may be fined up to Rs500,000.
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Marital cohabitation or relations with a minor after marriage will be treated as child abuse, punishable by five to seven years in prison and a minimum fine of Rs1 million. Taking a minor out of Punjab for marriage will be classified as child trafficking, carrying five to seven years’ imprisonment and a fine of up to Rs.1 million.
Parents or guardians who facilitate a child marriage may face two to three years in prison.
All child marriage cases will be heard in Sessions Courts, which may issue immediate restraining orders to stop an underage marriage. Offences under the ordinance will be non-bailable and non-compoundable, and courts must conclude trials within 90 days. The Child Marriage Restraint Act of 1929 has been repealed.
